Fanfare: The Week in Music Education - July 14

"The Week in Music Education" is a weekly collection of news and stories about the latest in music education and music advocacy. This series highlights local, regional and national news in music education, as well as provide timely music advocacy resources so that you may promote music education in your community. If you would like to share a story or announcement in "The Week in Music Education," feel free to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and it could be featured in an upcoming post.

MFA Strategic Adovcacy Partner, the NAMM Foundation, debuted a new website last week, making valuable advocacy resources easier to access than ever. The redesign gives the website a fresh new look that will look great whether giving presentations, sending information to elected officials or encouraging your friends to join the cause for music education. Visit www.nammfoundation.org now to check out the new website. While you're there, go ahead and sign up for the next SupportMusic Coalition Webinar, held this Thursday, July 18, live from Summer NAMM! Tons of incredible educators, advocates and music industry professionals are lined up for the Webinar, including BOA adjudicator and Visual and Performing Arts Coordinator for Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools Dr. Nola Jones; Mark Goff, President of Paige's Music, Official Music Store for the BOA Grand National Championships and other events, and Mark Despotakis from Progressive Music, a music store partner each year for the BOA Regional at Monroeville, PA.

The National Education Association (NEA), the largest labor union and professional organization for public school teachers, honored two music teachers at their Annual Meeting in Denver earlier this month. According to the National Association for Music Education, Jessica Fitzwater, an elementary music educator in Frederick, Maryland, was named 2014 Political Activist of the Year for her work puhsing for education funding in Frederick County. Princess Moss, a Virginia elementary music teacher was elected Secretary-Treasurer for the NEA's Executive Committee. According to the NEA, Princess has “has long championed bringing back music and fine arts education to America’s public schools.” Congratulations to Jessica and Princess!

Encore Music Lessons created one of my favorite new infographics: "Piano Lessons Are Good For You and Your Brain!" As a piano player myself, I didn't even recognize all of the benefits listed in this infographic. While "Piano lessons are good for your brain" may not be the most successful tactic when getting young children to practice daily, this infographic is a great resource when encouraging other parents to enroll their kids, or even advocating for piano lessons/classes in your school. You can download the full-size version of the infographic here.

Vortex Magazine featured "The State of Music Education" in Portland, Ore. this month and the results were a bit surprising. When I think of Portland, aside from the clever IFC series "Portlandia," I think of vibrant arts and music. In fact, Portland even boasts a $35-per-person "Arts Tax" to support the arts in Portland. Unfortunately, access to quality arts and music in Portland doesn't reach the elementary schools, where only 58% receive music instruction. This article does feature great arguments for music education in our schools, but we must also reach out to school administrators, elected officials and community leaders to ensure that Portland students have the opportunity to experience the power of music.

Many of us here in the "Lower 48" often forget about the United States' various territories, including the U.S. Virgin Islands, except maybe for vacations. United Jazz in the Virgin Islands sent several young jazz students to New York City to perform at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center last month with teacher and accomplished drummer Dion Parson. Students experienced the long tradition of jazz excellence and educational outreach at Jazz at Lincoln Center and performed for a captive audience on a stage that overlooks Central Park. Experiences like this not only are life-changing for the students, but provide visibility for underserved areas that have created innovated music education program such as United Jazz. You can check out local news coverage from the once-in-a-lifetime trip below.

Seth Williams is the Advocacy Coordinator at Music for All. Seth is no stranger to Music for All and Bands of America – first as a participant and as an intern in Development and Participant Relations. He is a graduate of the Butler University Jordan College of the Arts and previously worked in the Broadway theatre industry in New York. A proud alumnus of “The Centerville Jazz Band,” Seth is likely the biggest band nerd he knows.